The best cycling writers at the Giro

If you’re following the Giro D’Italia then in my opinion there really is one writer who you have to read: Juliet Macur of The New York Times. In our house she’s the first report we read when looking for perspective on what’s happening.

What I love is that her style is precise, informative and understated. It’s the sort of punchy news style that I struggle to do and which there is not enough of these days.

The other writers I’d recommend are riders.

You can read Freewheeling with Chris Horner on Oregon Live. I’d skip past the bits not written by Chris as they’re not the best bit. Horner’s view from inside the Astana camp, and of riding alongside Lance Armstrong is packed with the little of nuggets of information that could only come from a rider: the routines, the mood on the road, the expectations and the unity of a team.

Ted King of Cervelo Test Team is one of two riders writing Giro diaries for Velonews.com. King’s witty, goofy and suitably informal which makes a nice counterpoint to the more earnest formality of Columbia’s Michael Barry. You can read both in the Velonews.com/diaries section. You can also follow Ted on twitter at iamtedking.

One thing that I’ve just noticed about Ted King’s pieces is that they are filed from a blackberry which just shows how times have moved on. It’s an idea device for this sort of writing from the field and so portable that it’s almost the case that a reporter shouldn’t need much more to file copy and pictures.

I’m not writing about my racing this week as it was dispiriting at best. My legs are going before my lungs which isn’t the way it usually happens.

Quick note that there’s still entries going for the Women’s race at the Smithfield Nocturne. The bigger the field the better the race so if you are a woman who races and are even contemplating it, get your name on the start sheet. Sign up now at http://www.nocturneseries.com/smithfield/elitewomen.php